“It was 20 years ago today, Sargeant Pepper taught the band to play!” Yes, those were the lyrics running through my mind Friday night as I watched the locked-out Minnesota Orchestra, under the direction of Edo de Waart, rehearse the 9th symphony of Beethoven. Uplifting, and depressing.
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The Fiscal CLEF!
I was fully prepared to leave the Minnesota Orchestra posts to my partner in Blog Bill, and Drew at Adaptistration, but something I read really ticked me off!…..this is about attitude….
Long Live the Queen’s Orchestra!
I’m sorry if I come off as a pessimist. That’s actually not true. I consider myself more of a realist when looking at today’s world of classical music. But I am living at Ground Zero in the orchestra debacle and it is hard to look past the ditch currently being dug in Minnesota. However, something caugh my eye recently, and I’d like to compare the situation here with the situation there – in the Queen City, my home.
Silent Fall
I hate to say I told you so, but………. I told you so. Now what?
Kicking the Dependency, Part 1 – Saving the Past
There is a petition circulating on causes.com that should be a no-brainer – “President Obama, save the house that Ives built.” I hereby officially state that I am against this petition. Read on.
No One Expects the 12-Tone Inquisition!
The worse thing that can happen to any art form is Orthodoxy, that awful suggestion that there is only one true way. Orthodoxy is quite possibly the major reason why there are so many problems in classical music today. Orthodoxy impedes free thinking, feeds the idea of believer vs. heathen, and attempts to suppress dissent. In my most recent post I set out to highlight an example of doctrinal thinking that feeds the perception that classical music is elitist. The easiest way to expose said orthodoxy, of course, is to challenge it publically by throwing out an outrageous idea. Looks like I succeeded.
If it hurts everywhere….your finger is probably broken!
Yet another article on how to save Classical Music or at least in this case live concerts. On the list: Slow down Bach, clap between movements and after solos, the score is only a suggestion so improvise….I think more cowbell would be as good as a suggestion!…
Quick Takes: The M Word!
Morale, is one of the most misused and abused catchall words used in our business. Often the charge “morale is low” is used as an accusation against a leader or leaders of an organization if things aren’t going well. Those who throw it out there might be justified but also might be just as responsible for low morale with a pervasively negative approach to dealing with problems and issues…